Portable liquid line flushing device



May 20, 1958 s. F. WOGAN PORTABLE LIQUID LINE FLUSHING DEVICE Filed Nov. 15, 1956 IN VEN TOR. Selmer F. Wogan BYMFMLWI ATTORNEY United States Patent PORTABLE LIQUID LINE FLUSHING DEVICE Selmer F. Wogan, Montevideo, Minn. Application November 15, 1956, Serial No. 622,501

8 Claims. (Cl. 134--56) (Granted under Title 35, U. S. Code (1952), see. 266) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States ofAmerica for governmental purposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to cleaning devices and in particular to an automatic line flushing device.

It is an object of this invention to provide an automatic, cycling, line flushing device.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a flushing device which provides an air flush at the end of each cycle.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description.

The drawing is a sectional elevational view of the flushiug device.

The device operates on compressed air both to drive the cleaning solution through the line to be cleaned and to provide an air flush. This is set on an automatically cycling operation in such a manner that the device re quires no further attention from the operator until the line is cleaned and ready for use. The length of time that the device should be left in operation is dependent upon the type of cleaning solution used and the condition or the line to be cleaned.

Referring to the drawing the flushing unit 1 is mounted in any suitable manner to frame 2 on casters 3 which provide for transportability of the unit to the place of use.

The unit 1 comprises a reservoir 5 for the cleaning solutiori having an inlet 7 for the solution which is connected to one end of the line to be cleaned. Below this reservoir 5 is mounted drive tank 9 which is of sufiicient strength that there is no danger of rupture under the air pressure used. The size of the tank is of little importance as long as its capacity is equal to or greater than the capacity of the line to be cleaned. One model employed a tank of approximately ten gallon capacity and was suitable for use at or under 85 lbs. per square inch air pressure. The air pressure used was 40 lbs. per square inch.

The drive tank 9 is used in a horizontal position. It is filled with a cleaning solution from the reservoir 5 through an automaticcheck valve 11, e. g. a conventional flap type valve, designed to close when greater than atmospheric pressure is applied to the outlet side 13 of the valve which is inside of the drive tank 9. t

The cleaning solution flows by gravity feed through the automatic check valve 11 into the drive tank 9 until the desired liquid level is reached which in turn opens the air pressure valve 15 in air conduit 17 by use of a float mechanism 19 (to be described more fully below). When the air pressure valve 15 opens, the pressure within the drive tank 9 increases, which results in closing check valve 11 thereby preventing further flow of solution into the drive tank. To allow the cleaning solution to flow freely and rapidly into the drive tank 9 from the reservoir 5 a conventional air bleeder valve 21 is installed in the top of drive tank 9. This bleeder valve 21 is designed to close on high pressure (which occurs when the float mechanism 2,835,261 Patented May 20, 1958.

19 opens air valve 15) but opens under any pressure equal to or lower than the head pressure developed by the cleaning solution in the reservoir 5. To this end, it may be provided with a weight 22 which tends to move valve disk 24 away from seat 26 against the pressure of the air in tank. When open the bleeder valve 21 allows air to escape that is being displaced by the cleaning solution entering drive tank 9 through check valve 11.

The float mechanism 19 comprises a pivoted arm 23 attached to air valve body 25 by means of bracket 27. A float head 29 is attached to one end of pivoted arm 23. A second float head 31 is attached to pivoted arm 23 by means of bar 33. This second float head 31 lies below float head 29. The other end of arm 23 is adapted to bear against valve stem 35 to which valve disk 37 is attached. Valve disk 37 is so designed as to be seated by the air pressure against valve seat 38. When the buoyant force on the float heads 29 and 31 is suflicient to overcome the air pressure against valve seat 38 the valve opens and air flows into drive tank 9. At this time the check valve 11 and bleeder valve 21 close so that high pressure is developed in drive tank 9. The air valve 15 will remain open until the level of the cleaning solution in drive tank 9 is at its minimum level'below float head 31. The valve 15 remains open once the valve disk 37 is unseated because the air flow around disk 37 causes a pressure diiferential on opposite sides of the valve disk. This difference in pressure represents the force tending to close said valve since the pressure within the tank 9 is now approximately equal to the pressure in :air conduit 17. This force is small and therefore only a small force is necessary to maintain valve disk 37 in its unseated position. The float mechanism is so designed that the buoyant force on lower float head 31 alone is sufiicient to overcome this small force thereby keeping valve 15 open though it is insufficient to open the valve once it is closed. When the level of solution reaches its minimum level the force on float head 31 is no longer sufiicient and valve 15 closes.

When the air valve 15 is open the pressure in tank 9 forces the cleaning solution through outlet 39 fitted at the lowest liquid level. The cleaning solution flows through the line to be cleaned, one end of which is connected to outlet 39, to reservoir 5 through inlet 7, which is connected to the other end of the line to be cleaned. This line is indicated diagrammatically in dotted lines at 40.

When the minimum level of cleaning solution is reached and air valve 15 closes, the residual pressure in drive tank 9 dissipates itself through outlet 39, the line to be cleaned, and reservoir 5 which is open to the atmosphere. This action provides a sudden surge of air through the line therebyproviding an air fiush.

A cover 41 may be used over reservoir 5 to prevent extraneous material from contaminating the cleaning solution and to prevent splashing when moving the unit. The cover can either be removed during operation of the reservoir otherwise vented to the atmosphere.

A wire screen filter bracket 42 below inlet 7 and supported by ring 43 retains any scale or particulate matter dislodged from line 4% during the cleaning cycle thereby preventing much matter from clogging up check valve 11 or otherwise interfering with the cleaning operations Any conventional filtering means sufiicient to retain the matter dislodged can be used.

After dissipation of the air pressure in drive tank 9 check valve 11 and bleeder valve 21 open and another cycle begins.

After a suflicient number of cycles to completely clean line H operation is stopped by closing valve 44 in air conduit 17 and valve 45 in outlet 39, and disconnecting which is open to the atmosphere.

3 the unit from line 40. Valves 44 and 45 are any conventional type valve. These prevent any cleaning solution from escaping while disconnecting the unit.

Summarizing the operation, cleaning solution flows into drive tank 9 from reservoir 5 through the check valve 11. The air displaced by the solution in tank 9 escapes through bleeder valve 21. When the desired maximum level of solution is reached float mechanism 19 opens air valve thereby admitting high pressure air to tank 9. Check valve 11 and bleeder valve 21 close when valve 15 opens. The air pressure in tank 9 then forces the cleaning solution through outlet 39, the line to be cleaned and through inlet 7 to reservoir 5. The float mechanism 19 keeps valve 15 open until the minimum level of solution is reached. At this time the residual air pressure is dissipated through the conducting system and reservoir 5 This action provides a surge of air through the line to be cleaned. With the pressure in tank 9 thereby restored to atmospheric the cleaning solution can again flow through check valve 11 and another cycle of operation begins. This cycle is thereby automatically repeated until the line is completely cleaned and disconnected from the cleaning unit.

It will be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the precise details shown and described since many modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A cleaning device for flushing line systems comprising a reservoir for storing cleaning solution; an inlet to said reservoir adapted for connection to one end of said line system; an air-tight flushing tank below said reservoir; an outlet from said flushing tank adapted for connection to the other end of said line system; a passageway from said reservoir to said flushing tank; a check valve in said passageway controlling the flow of said cleaning solution from said reservoir to said flushing tang, said check valve being adapted to close when pressure within said flushing tank exceeds atmospheric; an air conduit to said flushing tank for supplying high pressure air to said flushing tank; a valve in said conduit, said valve being normally closed by said high pressure air; a float mechanism in said flushing tank and controlling said air valve, said float mechanism being so adapted as to open said air valve against said air pressure when said solution is at its maximum level and to maintain said air valve open until said solution is at its minimum level so that said solution is forced by said air through said outlet and line system to said reservoir through said inlet. I

2. A cleaning device as defined in claim 1 wherein said check valve closes when said air valve opens so that said air forces said solution through said line system back to said reservoir and said check valve remains closed until said air dissipates itself through said outlet and line system thereby providing a surge of air through said line system.

3. A cleaning device as defined in claim 2 in which said air valve comprises a body member attached to said air conduit, a bore in said body, a valve stem in said bore extending past said body, a disk attached to said stem, said disk being seated in said body by the pressure it of said air and adapted to be unseated when force against said stem is sufiicient to overcome pressure exerted by said air.

4..A cleaning device as defined in claim 3 in which said float mechanism comprises a bracket mounted on said body, an arm pivotally attached to said bracket so that one end of said arm is adapted to contact said stern, a float head attached to the other end of said arm, a second float head attached to said arm and lying below said first float head, said float heads so proportioned that the buoyant force on said float heads is suflicient to unseat said valve disk when the level of said solution is at its maximum and the buoyant force on said second float head as the level of solution decreases is suflicient to maintain said valve disk in its unseated position until said level reaches its minimum.

5. A cleaning device as defined in claim 4 in which said outlet is fitted to said flushing tank at the minimum level of cleaning solution used in said flushing tank.

6. A cleaning device as defined in claim 5 which further comprises an air bleeder valve in said flushing tank to allow for displacement of air in said flushing tank when said solution flows from said reservoir to said flushing tank, said bleeder valve being adapted to close when said air valve opens and to open when pressure in said flushing tank is lower than the pressure head developed by said solution in said reservoir.

7. A cleaning device as defined in claim 6 in which said reservoir is open to the atmosphere to allow said air pressure to dissipate thereby causing said solution to refiow through said check valve to said flushing tank resulting in cyclic operation.

8. A cleaning device for flushing line system comprising a reservoir for storing cleaning solution; a air-tight flushing tank below said reservoir; a passageway connecting said tanks through which said cleaning solutions flow by gravity; a check valve in said passageway controlling flow of said solution; means to supply air to said flushing tank; valve means in said air supply means; a float mechanism responsive to the level of said solution in said flushing tank, said float mechanism controlling said air valve means; an air bleeder valve in said flushing tank to provide exit for air displaced by cleaning solution flowing from reservoir to flushing tank; conducting means from said flushing tank through said line system to said reservoir; said check valve and bleeder valve being adapted to close when said air valve means is opened in response to said float mechanism thereby causing air pressure to, develop within said flushing tank and resulting in said solution being forced through said conducting means and line system to said reservoir, and said check valve and bleeder valve being adapted to open when said air valve means closes and said air is dissipated through said conducting means thereby providing cyclic operation of said cleaning device.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,243,446 Terlesky May 27, 1941 2,554,389 Stevens May 22, 1951 2,603,227 Paxton July 15, 1952 2,619,974 Daley Dec. 2, 1952 

